I'm still at it.

[TailFlamer]

I just sent this to ISI, developers of F12002 in hopes that they will give us mouse look in F12003

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Hello.
First, I would like to thank you for the fantastic job you guys did on F12002. I have followed your F1 series since F12000. I congratulate you on an outstanding effort in bringing us simmers a realistic and enjoyable Formula 1 sim.
Now on to the perpose of this letter.
I use a device called TrackIR in flight simulators.
<http://games.naturalpoint.com/>
This device would be ideal in a racing simulator.
It must have "Mouse Look" (like a 1st person shooter) to work in a game, although the people at NaturalPoint have some sort of developers kit that might be of use in adding support for TIR to your games. I hope you will consider this feature for F12003. I understand it will be your last F1 game. I feel sure you do plan to make it very special for us loyal fans of the series, but I can think of no greater compliment to it than support for TrackIR use.
I wouldn't think it would be too hard to add a option to activate the 'In-Cockpit' camera to pan with the mouse while driving the cars. I know this option would be nearly useless without TIR, but I would bet that people that have TIR would buy it, if able to use their devices in it. I am going to ask this at a forum for IL-2, where a number of people use TrackIR. I will send you a link to it later.
TrackIR has become the rage in the flight sim community. This device adds tremedously to the immersion factor when playing. I have not heard one person say they were not totally amazed by how well TIR works in a simulator. I'm sure it would be the same in racing sims too.
You guys came up with a really cool trick in allowing the Cockpit Camera to pan with the steering. That is the next best thing to TrackIR for sure, but of course we know of it's drawbacks too. So please, by all means give use "Mouse Look" as an option. This would overcome the drawbacks of the current system.
I was thinking that a range of somewhere around 170degrees Left/Right and maybe 24degrees Up/Down would give a natural and somewhat realistic "view panning" area. Of course it would be totally up to you to decide how much range the camera will cover.
I would gratefully appreciate any consideration you may give to the matter

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I posted it over at SimHQ, IL-2 forum with a question;

Would you consider buying F12003 or other racing sims, if you can use TrackIR in it.

Please help, the more interest we show, the better our chances of getting it.

[Jim]

Hello:

Thanks for the plug! I will make sure that Halstead sees this post and follows up on it with the developer and publisher.

I am actually a huge F1 fan. I have been to the Canadian GP in 1997 and then to the USA GP in 2001. Only a few months until the season starts again. (I am a Michael fan BTW)

[TailFlamer]

Thanks Jim.

Didn't get much of a response over at SimHQ. I guess those guys aren't into racing games.

There has been some interest at High-Gear and Race Sim Centural, but a lot of racing game players have never heard of TIR. I have been putting in the link to the TIR homepage, and telling them to check out the 'In Use' video.

I would like to go to the USGP this year. I'm sure it would be a blast. There has been a number of rule changes to try to even out the playing field some this season. I too hope Michael gets #6 this year.

[ January 05, 2003, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: TailFlamer ]